Saudi start-up airline Riyadh Air has announced that it has placed an order for 60 Airbus aircraft to join its expanding fleet.
Riyadh Air, the country’s newest airline, is set to launch its maiden flight next year and hopes to reach over 100 destinations worldwide by 2030.
The deal was signed with Airbus at Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, in what Airbus says is a “significant milestone” for Riyadh Air.
The airline said that ordering 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft was a “historic deal” that is bringing it “closer to our vision of connecting Riyadh to over 100 global destinations” in just over five years.
The aircraft will have a maximum range of 7,400km and will have a wide, single-aisle cabin space, as well as 50 per cent noise reduction, making flights quieter for passengers.
The A321neos will also operate with more than 20 per cent fuel savings and CO2 reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft.
“This investment will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most fuel-efficient fleets. It’ll be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its decarbonisation goals,” said Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas.
“This deal strongly reinforces the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale to facilitate the fast-growing Saudi aviation ecosystem.”
Christian Scherer, CEO of commercial aircraft at Airbus said: “We are proud to welcome Riyadh Air as a new Airbus customer and partner.
“The latest generation A321neo aircraft will bring exceptional efficiency to the airline’s operations, concrete contributions to its decarbonisation goals and comfort to its passengers. We look forward to working together to support the strong ambitions of Saudi aviation."
Riyadh Air is continuing to add to its growing fleet of aircraft, having already ordered 39 confirmed (with 33 to follow) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which have a maximum flight range of 14,140km.
Douglas told Reuters the airline now plans to start talks with Airbus and Boeing for an order of A350-1000 or 777X wide-body jets within two months.
He added that the airline would be receiving its first batch of A321s in the second half of 2026, with the last jet to be delivered by 2023.
The airline was created by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund in March 2023, intending to improve travel within the country as well as worldwide.
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